Response to Hurricane Helene: Amazon is using its logistics and technologies to support first responders

30.09.2024 08:28

Amazon’s Disaster Relief & Response team is working closely with local partners and humanitarian organisations to rapidly deliver critical supplies to people in need after Hurricane Helene made landfall last week and continues to batter the Southeast United States with a tropical storm.

Amazon’s logistics infrastructure, inventory, teams, and technology have been activated to provide rapid assistance in crisis areas throughout Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. As emergency response teams assess damage in the aftermath of the storm, AWS cloud computing capabilities are being used to capture high-resolution aerial imagery of affected regions, assisting rescue and relief operations on the ground. In coordination with disaster relief partners, like American Red Cross, Operation BBQ Relief, and World Central Kitchen, Amazon will ship Amazon-donated items such as water, tarps, diapers and personal hygiene kits as soon as possible from the more than 3 million relief items that are pre-positioned at Amazon’s Disaster Relief Hub in Atlanta and ready to go.

“Extreme flooding poses a grave threat to communities across the Southeast right now,” said Alice Shobe, global director of Amazon Community Impact. “Amazon is using our logistics and technologies to support first responders who are helping families impacted by this devastating storm.”

Due to the severe weather conditions, Amazon is prioritising the safety of its teams while working urgently to deliver aid. We have thousands of employees in communities affected by the storm and as such our operations buildings were closed to ensure employee safety. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and take the necessary precautions to remain safe, while supporting relief efforts in coordination with community partners and humanitarian organizations.

Additionally, with the temporary closing of some Amazon facilities, and likely damage to roads and other infrastructure, there may be impacts to customers in the region. We will utilize our national network of storage and delivery to fulfil customer orders from outside the affected region. We will adjust delivery estimates as the storm’s impact becomes clearer, so customers can have the most accurate information on when their packages will arrive. Customers will see updated delivery times for their specific orders, and are encouraged to contact our 24/7 Customer Service teams for additional assistance.